Scaling Our Movement: Highlights from the Latest Bay Area Preservation Finance Table Meeting

Earlier this month, the Bay Area Preservation Finance Table (BAPFT) gathered for its sixth quarterly convening—one of our largest yet, with over 60 organizations represented. What began as a small circle has grown into a dynamic and diverse coalition of funders, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), banks, public agencies, research institutions, Community Land Trusts, and more, all united by a shared commitment to preserving affordability and expanding community ownership across the Bay Area and beyond.

This meeting focused on a core issue that continues to shape the future of our movement: capacity building for CLTs. While CLTs are gaining traction—tripling in number across California in just the last decade and increasingly recognized in city and county Housing Elements—the infrastructure to support this growth has not kept pace. A recent statewide survey revealed that the average CLT in California operates with fewer than four staff members. The result? Critical real estate development functions are often outsourced to entities that may not share the values of the community ownership movement—or worse, fall to overextended volunteers.

At this convening, we explored how CLTs and supportive organizations throughout the state are responding to capacity challenges. We heard from CLT leaders who are actively scaling their operations and expanding their impact. They shared local, regional, and statewide strategies for building the organizational strength needed to not only acquire and steward land, but to thrive while doing it. Through a series of presentations and a moderated panel discussion, attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with the people at the forefront of this work, ask questions, and contribute to the dialogue.

One highlight of the session was the premiere of a new video showcasing our partnership with Capacity Catalyst, which supports technical assistance for emerging CLTs in the Bay Area. This story is just one example of how our sector is investing in leadership, knowledge, and infrastructure to meet the moment.

If you missed the meeting, you can access the presentation slides here, and watch the full recording here (passcode: Y!P8Zr+9). The video we premiered is also available to view here, with a web-optimized version coming soon.

Special thanks to everyone who stayed for the happy hour — it was great to celebrate our progress together in person!

As we continue to build this vital space for cross-sector collaboration, we’re reminded that the strength of our movement lies in solidarity, strategy, and shared purpose. Stay tuned for the next BAPFT convening!